Barker: Getting Kids Into Nature

My grandson Alex and I fished at ParkCenter Pond last weekend at a fishing derby that attracted dozens of families to one of Boise’s urban outdoor spaces. Lots of kids caught lots of trout, but just as importantly, they were exploring the reeds, running around and watching the ducks and geese for hours on end. This kind of opportunity for children to get into nature is far less available in the 21st century. Even before computer games became so dominant in children’s lives, the experience of life outside had dropped in significance for many. But today it has growninto a pandemic of what “Last Child in the Woods” author Richard Louv calls nature deficit disorder. This societal malady doesn’t benefit conservatives or liberals/ Rocky Barker , Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Is it a priority of yours to get your children outside into nature?